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Erik Sandstedt

Erik Sandstedt is a seasoned litigator with extensive compliance and regulatory experience who draws on his unique background as a Fortune 50 executive, senior federal prosecutor, and civil trial attorney to fashion creative and effective solutions to his clients’ most difficult problems. Having spent more than two decades representing government, corporate, and individual interests, Erik takes pride in providing clients with practical strategies borne of sound judgment to help mitigate risk and navigate their most delicate compliance, regulatory, and corporate governance challenges. Whether in the executive boardroom, a trial or appellate court, or a settlement conference room, Erik’s extensive experience dealing with state and federal inquiries, high-stakes litigation, and internal threats make him a highly sought-after advisor and invaluable partner when difficult situations arise.

Erik joined CSG from McKesson Corporation, a Fortune 6 pharmaceutical distributor and life sciences company, where he was Senior Vice President for Compliance, Regulatory & Ethics. At McKesson, Erik sat on the General Counsel’s leadership team – overseeing all of the company’s legal, compliance, and public affairs personnel worldwide – and was specifically responsible for retooling McKesson’s compliance program in the wake of its record-setting agreement to settle claims with the DEA for failing to report suspicious orders of opioid products. He also helped guide the company’s efforts with respect to, among other things, government investigations, qui tam and other high-profile litigation, merger and acquisition due diligence, privacy and cybersecurity, and enterprise risk management.

Before joining McKesson, Erik spent several years at Pfizer as a senior member of its compliance leadership team responsible for successfully managing through a 2009 corporate integrity agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, stemming from its historic $2.3 billion settlement relating to allegedly inappropriate pharmaceutical sales and marketing practices, as well as a 2012 deferred prosecution agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice relating to alleged violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). As a Vice President and Assistant General Counsel in charge of global investigations, Erik helped develop Pfizer’s state-of-the-art compliance program and managed compliance and government investigations touching all aspects of the company’s worldwide commercial, research and development, and manufacturing operations.

Erik also has a long history of public service. He was the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division in Washington D.C. during the tumultuous period surrounding the events of September 11, 2001. He also served for many years as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the District of New Jersey, culminating in his appointment as the Chief of the Securities and Health Care Fraud Unit. As a federal prosecutor, Erik handled complex matters involving, among other things, health care fraud, securities fraud, mail and wire fraud, money laundering, RICO conspiracies, insider trading, tax evasion, and violations of the FCPA.

Finally, Erik’s prior law firm experience includes conducting internal investigations, defending individuals and corporations in civil securities fraud and white collar criminal matters, and prosecuting some of the largest securities class actions in history. Most significantly, he was one of the lead trial lawyers in the WorldCom securities litigation, which culminated in a total settlement over $6 billion and a six-week jury trial in the Southern District of New York.

Erik has taught professional ethics and appellate advocacy at Columbia and Seton Hall Law Schools, and he has lectured extensively on topics related to investigations, compliance and ethics, and civil and criminal securities and health care fraud.

Education

Columbia University School of Law
(J.D., Stone Scholar, 1995)

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
(B.A., with distinction, 1991)